Chimanikire's Lesson to Maguwu Et Al !

"Patriotism is the headline in everything we do in a country"

NON Governmental Organizations working in Zimbabwe especially on the issue of the extraction and or sale of minerals and more particularly Chiadzwa diamonds must know that patriotism is the "headline" in everything we do as a nation, a senior opposition politician has said.

Addressing stakeholders and diamond rights activists at the Mining Indaba in Mutare on Monday 3 October this year - the Deputy Minister of Mines and Mining Development, Mr Gft Chimanikire said, during his closing remarks, those members of the "NGO sector" and "diamond rights activists" must know that the key to meaningful development in Zimbabwe is patriotism, sources who attended the meeting have disclosed.

Mr Chimanikire is a legislator representing Southerton constituency and belongs to the Movement for Democratic Change formation led by Prime Minister Mr Morgan Tsvangirai.

His statements shocked many MDC T and other "diamond rights activists" that included Mr Farai Maguwu, who had thronged the mining indaba.

Mr Maguwu is the director for the Centre for Research and Development a civic society outfitactively involved in lobbying and advocacy work related to natural resources (with special emphasis to the ongoing work around Chiadzwa area.

The nongovernmental organizations present amongst others were Mr Maguwu's CRD and the Zimbabwe Environmental Lawyers Association.

Mr Maguwu had initially walked out briefly when Mines and Minerals Minister, Cde Obert Mpofu made his candid presentation on the need for unity of purpose and his "excellent, professional and cordial" relationship with his deputy, Mr Chimanikire.

During his address Cde Mpofu had said he had had discussion with Prime Minister Mr Morgan Tsvangirai who commended him for his capacity and ability to "charm" his (PM Tsvangirai) deployees, who according to Cde Mpofu all have given the Premier "good reports" about goings on in the ministry.

Said Cde Mpofu:

"The Prime Minister has said all the guys are trying to work with you, turn out to speak like you, what is it, that you do to them is.

"The question seems to suggest that there is something I charm these guys with. I then said to the Honorable PM, it is just, we are undertaking the mandate you gave to us as principals, which is to serve the people of Zimbabwe and nothing else.

"So I have had an opportunity of having good deputy ministers. This is why I now have Cde Chimanikire, w work together as a family; he does a lot of assignments I assign him to do and he is happy working with me," said Cde Mpofu irking the anti Chiadzwa activists and prompting Mr Maguwu to walk out of the plenary briefly.

When Cde Mpofu finished his address and after deliberations, Mr Chimanikire was given his slot to make closing remarks and he shockingly gave the unpatriotic anti Zimbabwe diamonds activists a lesson on patriotism.

He said:

"To the Centre for Research and Development and Zimbabwe Environment Lawyers Association, I say thank you for sitting through the meeting despite the buttery from one speaker to the other, but from that buttery, what we have to learn is that patriotism should be the headline in everything we do as a country.

"The buttery you got is basically because we must be friends and work together for the good of our country," said Mr Chimanikire.

He went on to attack the "some stakeholders and diamond rights activists" for working hand in glove with foreigners who are bent on rubbishing anything we do as a nation and all after pursuing foul agendas.

"Why work with foreign ministries when we are a doorstep away? I urge you to be patriotic," he said.

The MDC T and its Western allies have campaigned strongly against the extraction, certification and sale of Zimbabwean diamonds found in Marange arguing that there are gross human rights violations happening during the mining stage.

They have also argued without any proof that the profits generated from the diamonds sale are always shrouded in secrecy by Cde Mpofu.

However, the Cde Mpofu and his team have maintained that they do everything above board and that Zimbabwe has complied fully with the Kimberly Processing requirements.

The clamoring and noise making by the MDC T has been spurred by the realisatiion by its Western handlers that if Zimbabwe is allowed to mine, polish and sale ts diamonds to whoever without any strings attached, the government will be able to bust the unlawful sanctions imposed by the West.

Leading the pack of notorious countries in this dirty anti Zimbabwe diamonds crusade is Britain, United States of America and Australia.